Automatically Generating Column Layouts in Electronic Documents

1. A computer-implemented data processing method comprising: obtaining, by a page layout computer, source code of an electronic document comprising content; in response to a request to activate a page layout of the electronic document and before receiving a first input indicating a modification to a layout of the electronic document, automatically inserting, by the page layout computer, a coded hierarchy into the source code of the electronic document specifying a single section and a single column comprising the content; receiving, by the page layout computer, the first input indicating the modification to the layout of the electronic document; based on the first input and by the page layout computer, modifying the source code; causing, by the page layout computer, generating an updated editing view of the electronic document that graphically represents the modification to the layout.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the source code comprises HTML and wherein the coded hierarchy comprises two or more nested sets of division (DIV) tags.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the sets comprise a first set of DIV tags that indicates the single section and a second set of DIV tags, nested within the first set, which indicates the single column within the section.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first input is received using one of a plurality of page layout controls.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of page layout controls is associated with a different page layout, and wherein each of the different page layouts is for a particular combination of a particular number of columns and a particular set of column widths.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein a particular page layout among a plurality of different page layouts includes two or more columns of non-equal widths.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modification comprises adding a column.

8. A computer system comprising: one or more processors; one or more memories storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processors to: obtain source code of an electronic document comprising content; in response to a request to activate a page layout of the electronic document and before receiving a first input indicating a modification to a layout of the electronic document, automatically insert a coded hierarchy into the source code of the electronic document specifying a single section and a single column comprising the content; receive the first input indicating the modification to the layout of the electronic document; based on the first input, modify the source code; cause generating an updated editing view of the electronic document that graphically represents the modification to the layout.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the source code comprises HTML and wherein the coded hierarchy comprises two or more nested sets of division (DIV) tags.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the sets comprise a first set of DIV tags that indicates the single section and a second set of DIV tags, nested within the first set, which indicates the single column within the section.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first input is received using one of a plurality of page layout controls.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of page layout controls is associated with a different page layout, and wherein each of the different page layouts is for a particular combination of a particular number of columns and a particular set of column widths.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein a particular page layout among a plurality of different page layouts includes two or more columns of non-equal widths.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the modification comprises adding a column.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed, cause: obtaining source code of an electronic document comprising content; in response to a request to activate a page layout of the electronic document and before receiving a first input indicating a modification to a layout of the electronic document, automatically inserting a coded hierarchy into the source code of the electronic document specifying a single section and a single column comprising the content; receiving the first input indicating the modification to the layout of the electronic document; based on the first input, modifying the source code; causing generating an updated editing view of the electronic document that graphically represents the modification to the layout.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the source code comprises HTML and wherein the coded hierarchy comprises two or more nested sets of division (DIV) tags.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the sets comprise a first set of DIV tags that indicates the single section and a second set of DIV tags, nested within the first set, which indicates the single column within the section.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the first input is received using one of a plurality of page layout controls.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18 , wherein each of the plurality of page layout controls is associated with a different page layout, and wherein each of the different page layouts is for a particular combination of a particular number of columns and a particular set of column widths.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19 , wherein a particular page layout among a plurality of different page layouts includes two or more columns of non-equal widths.